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Dear Reader
This Free newsletter supports continuing education for breeders, owners and handlers.
New Stick Dog Pedigree Software Version 2.2
This new pedigree software incorporates and supports heritable kinds of information. The full feature software makes it simple to enter the names, titles and certifications of each ancestor. Data entered and saved you can be viewed and printed your pedigrees and review intended matings. The software automatically generates two other pedigrees (Stick Dog and Symbols pedigree) for advanced pedigree analysis. One of the new features allows the user to see the strengths and weaknesses of each ancestor. With this kind of information breeders can begin to breed by direction rather than chance.
Features
- Easy - Just fill in the dog’s name, titles and certifications
- Print - Click to print or Save your work.
- Stores Your Data - Software remembers details of dogs previously entered. When creating a new pedigree, if the Sire/Dam is one you've added before, you can just select his/her name from a list and the program will automatically pull in and all their ancestors as far back as you have previously entered.
- Customize - Change fonts, colors, number of ancestor generations.
- Import/Export - Transfer data in and out of the program. Allows breeders to exchange coded pedigrees.
- Data Fields - add new data, information and other details about each dog (AKC registration #, breeder, owners, etc.).
- Free 30 day trial.
Download the free 30 day trial.
Health and Genetics
The following information is intended to raise awareness levels, not to prescribe treatment or offer self-diagnosis. Responsible breeders should be aware of these health concerns and try to eliminate them.
Early Spay/Neuter
A new report and 50 peer-reviewed papers unravel the complexities of this subject. The health issues of spay & neuter show the many risks.
Dreaded Diseases
Dreaded disorders kill, cripple, cause early death or blind. Bloat is a dreaded disease. It has a reported lifetime risk of 24% in large-dogs and 21.6% in giant dogs. Typically dogs go from phase 1 - 3 in just a few hours. Death is often imminent.
For these reasons own a Bloat Kit.
Hip Dysplasia Break Through
Many requests have been received about this research. According to Dr. Jerry Bell, a noted geneticist at Tufts Vet School, specific genes identified with hip dysplasia have not been found. What has been developed are breed specific panels using quantitative trait loci (QTL’s). This means that these panels only apply to the study population and are not applicable for world-wide use.
The scientists genotyped more than 1000 German Shepherds and published their research in the international online journal. For more information contact: Professor Dr. Ottmar Distl, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, Tel.: +49 511 953-8875, or send an mail to ottmar.distl@tiho-hannover.de.
Three New Articles
Update
Golden Retriever Lifetime Study - The Morris Animal Foundation is managing a 10-year, $25 million study that focuses on the risk factors for cancer, allergic dermatitis, obesity and other common conditions that affect dogs. Three thousand Golden Retrievers are included in this genetic, nutritional and environmental study. For more information: 1-800-243-2345 or at www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/Golden.
Training Tips
Grooming
Noted expert, Eve Adamson suggests five rules: One, act and sound happy before and during the grooming process. Two, always have a bowl of small treats handy so your pup will associate treats with being groomed. Three, use an area where nothing bad happens. Four, if for any reason things do not go well, stop. Lastly, do not let your pup see you upset when grooming.
Health Tip
Try watermelon. Juice up after a show or workout. Guzzling water at the show or after exercise and workouts with watermelon pays off. ! High levels of L-citrulline, an amino acid aids in muscle soreness and heart-rate recovery, according to a new study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. It also packs lycopene, and antioxidant that protests against certain kinds of cancer.
Socialization and Enrichment
Military and TSA Puppies - The DOD & TSA programs begin at 7-10 weeks. Pups are placed with families who raise them until seven months of age. Instructions and guidelines focus on basic manners. Formal training is not required. Volunteer families are asked to kennel pups at night and at other times to get the pups comfortable with kenneling. Pups are returned to Lackland Air force Base for routine veterinary care and assessments monthly. Successful candidates begin pre-training at 7 months and formal training at 12 months.
Both programs use enrichment experiences as part of puppy development. They include changes in routines, new experiences, regularly being touched by strangers with priority given to exposure to new and different places, people, strange sounds and smells. A vocabulary of one syllable words is used to control movement and behavior. For more information regarding enrichment.
Seminars
New: Making of the Super Dog
Incorporates research, technology, pedigree analysis, nutrition and management. Learn how to produce smarter and more trainable dogs with stronger heart beats, more tolerance to stress and greater resistance of disease.
Learn more about this seminar.
Choosing the Best Puppy
An unpublished study of many breeds’ shows that over 60% of the best dogs in most breeds are not owned by their breeder. Reason ... lack of breeder skill and knowledge.
War Dog Documentary
Narrated by Martin Sheen. Depicts the amazing saga of the heroic dogs who served in the Vietnam War.
You pay only shipping and postage. Click here.
Dog Writers of America Annual Competition
Writers of dog articles, blogs and books can submit their work and compete for cash. Award winners will be announced in February during Westminster at the annual banquet.
If you write, enter your work at dwaa.org
Keys to Success
There are volumes of information available on most subjects, which is why we believe that “Those who don't read have no advantage over those who can't.”